ID :
24969
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 01:07
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/24969
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RI CALLS FOR ASEAN HARMONIOUS STEPS TO FACE GLOBAL CRISIS
Jakarta, Oct 16 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono underlined on Thursday the need for ASEAN member states to take harmonious steps in the face of the current global financial crisis.
Speaking to the press at the presidential office here, President Yudhoyono said harmonious steps will be more credible if China, Japan and South Korea take part in the efforts.
"Of course, the cooperation will be more credible if China, Japan, South Korea and ASEAN member states harmonize their steps to face the global financial crisis," he said.
On Thursday, President Yudhoyono called a meeting, attended by Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS to discuss preparations for an ASEAN meeting aimed at figuring out the regional grouping's steps to face the global financial crisis.
"It seems that cooperation between Southeast Asia and the rest of Asia in dealing with the 1997 monetary crisis proved ineffective," he said.
As a matter of fact, he added, ASEAN member states had adopted an ASEAN Economic Concept, along with China, Japan and South Korea.
In this context, Indonesia will propose that ASEAN leaders who will attend an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing next week convene a meeting to discuss common steps to face the global financial crisis, he said.
He said Indonesia has sent the proposal to Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsata in the capacity as ASEAN chairman to put the matter in the agenda of the ASEAN meeting to be held on the sidelines of ASEM summit in Beijing on October 24-25, 2008.
Commenting on Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Aroyo's statement calling for the formation of ASEAN reserve funds in the face of the global financial crisis, President Yudhoyono said Indonesia would follow the Philippines' suit and follow up the Chiang Mai Initiative to raise ASEAN funds, along with China, Japan and South Korea to help countries facing financial difficulties.
"The process of formulating what its rule of game is all about or something like charter is underway," he said.
He expressed hope that President Aroyo's statement can harmonize well with the Chiang Mai Initiative.
"In principle, Indonesia is looking forward to benefitting from this assocition, either ASEAN or ASEAN plus 3, to take common steps in coping with the global financial crisis," he said.
The Chiang Mai Initiative is an agreement among ASEAN member states to form a currency swap scheme in the wake of the 1997 monetary crisis to protect their respective currencies against similar crisis.
ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Japan in May 2007, ASEAN member states, China, Japan and South Korea agreed to set aside part of their foreign exchange reserves as multi national reserves.
Arroyo said on Wednesday that ASEAN member states have agreed to form reserve funds to help any ASEAN member facing liquidity difficulties in the event of a financial crisis.
Speaking to the press at the presidential office here, President Yudhoyono said harmonious steps will be more credible if China, Japan and South Korea take part in the efforts.
"Of course, the cooperation will be more credible if China, Japan, South Korea and ASEAN member states harmonize their steps to face the global financial crisis," he said.
On Thursday, President Yudhoyono called a meeting, attended by Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS to discuss preparations for an ASEAN meeting aimed at figuring out the regional grouping's steps to face the global financial crisis.
"It seems that cooperation between Southeast Asia and the rest of Asia in dealing with the 1997 monetary crisis proved ineffective," he said.
As a matter of fact, he added, ASEAN member states had adopted an ASEAN Economic Concept, along with China, Japan and South Korea.
In this context, Indonesia will propose that ASEAN leaders who will attend an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing next week convene a meeting to discuss common steps to face the global financial crisis, he said.
He said Indonesia has sent the proposal to Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsata in the capacity as ASEAN chairman to put the matter in the agenda of the ASEAN meeting to be held on the sidelines of ASEM summit in Beijing on October 24-25, 2008.
Commenting on Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Aroyo's statement calling for the formation of ASEAN reserve funds in the face of the global financial crisis, President Yudhoyono said Indonesia would follow the Philippines' suit and follow up the Chiang Mai Initiative to raise ASEAN funds, along with China, Japan and South Korea to help countries facing financial difficulties.
"The process of formulating what its rule of game is all about or something like charter is underway," he said.
He expressed hope that President Aroyo's statement can harmonize well with the Chiang Mai Initiative.
"In principle, Indonesia is looking forward to benefitting from this assocition, either ASEAN or ASEAN plus 3, to take common steps in coping with the global financial crisis," he said.
The Chiang Mai Initiative is an agreement among ASEAN member states to form a currency swap scheme in the wake of the 1997 monetary crisis to protect their respective currencies against similar crisis.
ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Japan in May 2007, ASEAN member states, China, Japan and South Korea agreed to set aside part of their foreign exchange reserves as multi national reserves.
Arroyo said on Wednesday that ASEAN member states have agreed to form reserve funds to help any ASEAN member facing liquidity difficulties in the event of a financial crisis.
